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Texas governor champions school choice
Texas Governor Greg Abbott discusses his unwavering commitment to school choice, marking it as one of his most significant legislative priorities.
null - Texans overwhelmingly support school voucher programs and education savings accounts, according to a recent poll.
The University of Houston and Texas Southern University poll surveyed 2,257 Texans in late June and early July and found about two-thirds of adult Texans support the policies.
That's a spike since October, when a similar poll showed 49 percent of Texans supported the vouchers.
"I think the major takeaway is that we are seeing an ongoing shift in attitudes about these programs," said Jim Granato with the Hobby School of Public Affairs at the University of Houston.
School voucher programs would allow taxpayer money pay for private school tuition of their choice. The similar education savings accounts (ESA) would set aside money for parents to use for certain educational expenses, including private school tuition, tutoring and more.
Opponents say the programs would take tax dollars away from public schools.
66 percent of Texans agreed with the statement that vouchers and ESAs would take money away from struggling public schools, according to the poll.
Republican respondents (73%) were more likely to show their support school voucher legislation than Democrats (55%).
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Gov. Abbott wins the seats he needs to pass his education savings plan
Governor Abbott and others worked hard in the Republican Primary runoff this past month to be certain that when the next Texas Legislative session begins, school choice will become an option for some parents in Texas.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott has made school choice legislation a top priority.
An education savings bill failed in the Texas Legislature in 2023 when Democrats and rural Republicans teamed up to block it.
"Rural residents, and the legislators who represent them, have traditionally joined with urban Democrats to oppose voucher proposals, but we found 63% of respondents in rural and semi-rural areas support vouchers open to all families, along with 64% of suburban residents and 67% of urban residents," said Granato.
Abbott spent the primary season campaigning against Republican candidates who voted against the bill.
He told FOX 4 earlier this year that he is ‘certain’ school vouchers will pass in the next session.